According to Census 2010 the City of Hooper Bay has a population of 1,149. The community's clinic, clinic housing, school, Head Start building, teacher housing and 19 apartment units were the first to be connected to the community's new water treatment/washeteria facility completed in 2007. Twenty-one more homes were connected to piped water and sewer in April of 2011. Residents living in the remaining 160 dwellings haul water from watering points for cooking, cleaning and washing needs. Residents also self-haul their garbage and honey buckets to a solid waste site and wastewater lagoon respectively. The new water treatment/washeteria facility also provides 18 washers, 12 dryers, 16 showers and two saunas that residents can use for a nominal charge. The watering point at the old town site is also connected to the new water treatment plant. The city is pursuing a solid waste management grant to build a new sewage lagoon.

RUBA Status & Activities This Qtr:

During the first two weeks of October 2012, Bethel regional office staff received calls and exchanged emails with two DEC Village Safe Water (VSW) engineers concerning RUBA compliance for the City of Hooper Bay and the sustainability of the water utility after construction. Specific concerns were the collection rates for residential customers now connected to the new piped system, as well as user fees being lower than recommended in the 'City of Hooper Bay Water and Sewer Business Plan Update' adopted by the city on July 20, 2011. The city recently provided the Bethel RUBA office with an accounts receivable aging report for September 2012 showing 13 of their 27 residential customers 'CUTOFF' from service. RUBA staff has advised the city's administrative staff to separate revenues and expenditures for the washeteria from the water plant budget so costs associated with operating the water plant could be better evaluated. The city's monthly financial reports also needs revised so council members can more easily compare expenditures and locally generated income for the utility. A RUBA Assessment was completed for the City of Hooper Bay on October 6, 2011, at which time the city was compliant with RUBA essential indicators. However, the city fell out of compliance during the last quarter of 2011. A similar pattern of compliance occurred in 2010.

RUBA Activities for the Coming Qtr:

Bethel staff is willing to work with Hooper Bay's administrative staff to help the city with non compliant RUBA indicators.

Scores:

Essential Indicators:

21 of
26

Sustainable Indicators:

15 of
26

Total Score:

36 of
52

Finances

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

No

All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.

No

The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.

No

Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.

No

The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.

Yes

The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.

No

The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources) sufficient to cover operating expenses.

The city's FY13 budget ordinance adopted on July 12, 2012, is electronically filed at the Bethel regional office. RUBA compliance requires all revenue and expenses for the utility be clearly listed in the budget. Customer user fees are not yet adequate to cover the operational and maintenance costs of city's water and wastewater utility. The utility is heavily subsidized through other city revenues. Therefore the city's RUBA assessment reviews the entire city budget for compliance. The city's FY13 budget submitted to the State of Alaska for annual Community Revenue Sharing does not meet RUBA compliance because it does not list all revenue and expenses for each department, project or grant. In previous years the city has submitted a detailed budget in the format provided in the State of Alaska City Budget Manual published by the state. The state City Budget Manual provides a detailed line item format for listing revenues and expenditures by department, grants and project. When properly completed it complies with RUBA standards. The city's FY13 budget summary has 'water and sewer' line item revenue of $250,000 but there is no explanation as to where this large allocation comes from. There is also a 'user fee' revenue line item of $37,975 but it is unclear if this comes from payments for residential and commercial piped water services or money collected from the washer and dryers in the washeteria or both. Because of the lack details like these, three of the 'Finances' essential indicators had to be marked 'No'. RUBA compliance also requires that city council has the opportunity to review a monthly financial report each month. The City of Hooper Bay submitted minutes for five council meetings held during June through August 2012 for RUBA compliance this quarter. However, only one of these meetings (August 8) specifically mentions city council reviewing of monthly financial reports. During the August 8 meeting monthly financial reports were reviewed for January through June of 2012. The spirit of the RUBA compliance is that council members have opportunity to review the city's finances each month so budget amendments can be passed to avoid department shortfalls. Council members reviewing six months of financial reports at one meeting and then not reviewing any financial reports for two or three months doesnt meet RUBA standards. The monthly financial reports provided for June through September of 2012 need revised so council members can more easily compare expenditures to locally generated income for the utility. Until monthly financial reports are properly prepared and reviewed by city council for three to six months in a row the 'Finances' essential indicator that states 'Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board' will be marked 'No'. Without separating the finances of the water and sewer and washeteria enterprises, it will be impossible to determine if rates charged to customers on piped water are adequate to cover the operating costs of the newly built water and sewer facilities. A September 24, 2012 correspondence from Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC) indicates that the city has significant balances 30 and 60 days overdue on its electric accounts. A September 24 conversation with the city administrator indicated that city had ordered and was expecting delivery of 45,000 gallons of diesel from NorthStar Gas any day. The manager seemed to think that once the fuel was delivered the city would have enough heating fuel for their facilities for the winter of 2012/2013. Page fifteen of the city's Water and Sewer System Business Plan Update states that 'the total amount that should be set aside annually for major equipment Repair and Replacement (R and R) is $43,733'. However, an R and R line item was not included in the city's FY 2013 water and sewer budget.

Accounting Systems

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it.

Yes

The utility bills customers on a regular basis.

Yes

An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts.

Yes

An accounts payable system is in place.

Yes

The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records.

Yes

A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent.

Yes

The utility has a cash disbursement system that records how money was spent.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

A chart of accounts is used that identifies categories in a reasonable, usable manner.

Yes

Monthly bank reconciliations have been completed for all utility accounts.

No

The utility has a purchasing system that requires approval prior to purchase, and the approval process compares proposed purchases to budgeted amounts.

Accounting Systems Comments

Hooper Bay Water and Sewer Ordinance #09-06 adopted October 12, 2009 is on file at the Bethel regional office. Sections 12-17 of the ordinance set parameters and outlines the city's collection policy. In May of 2011, the city started billing the first forty residential customers connected to piped water and sewer services. These customers included nineteen residents in an AVCP housing apartment complex (connected in the fall of 2011) and twenty-one homes (connected by April 21, 2011). The city charges a flat rate of $85.00 monthly to residential customers on the city's piped water and sewer system. The city provided the Bethel RUBA office with an accounts receivable aging report for September 2012 showing 13 of 27 residential customers 'CUTOFF' from service. The city uses QuickBooks Pro 10 for its financial accounting, tracking wages and payroll taxes. Water and wastewater billings are sent out the twentieth of each month. The city's long time bookkeeper faithfully reconciles the city's bank statements each month.

Tax Problems

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.

Yes

The utility is current on filing tax reports.

Yes

The utility is current on making tax deposits.

N/A

If there are any past due tax liabilities or recorded tax liens, a lien release has been issued or a repayment agreement has been signed and repayments are current.

Tax Problems Comments

The utility uses QuickBooks Pro 10 for its payroll accounting. A September 18, 2012 fax correspondence from the IRS Taxpayer Advocate service indicates the city is current with required federal tax deposits and informational returns. A September 24, 2012 email correspondence from Alaska Department of Labor in Anchorage indicated the city is current on their filings and deposits for Employment Security Taxes. The city is not listed on the July-August 2012 LIEN WATCH: A Review of Small Community Liens.

Personnel System

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has a posted workers compensation insurance policy in effect.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

No

The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.

Yes

The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.

No

The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.

No

The utility has an adequate written hiring process.

No

The utility has personnel folders on every employee that contain at least: I-9, Job Application and Letter of Acceptance.

No

The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.

Yes

The utility provides training opportunities to staff as needed and available.

Personnel System Comments

An October 17, 2012 query of the State of Alaska Employers' Workers' Compensation Insurance Coverage Verification database indicated that city has workers' compensation insurance for its employees with Alaska Public Entity Insurance. An adopted personnel policy was not provided by the time of this writing. On October 12, 2011 position descriptions and/or job announcements were provided for the bookkeepers, city clerk, city administrator, substitute city clerk and their water treatment operator and are on file at the Bethel regional office. On July 19, 2011 several of the city's personnel files were reviewed. None of the files reviewed had all three documents (federal I-9 form, job application and letter of acceptance) required for compliance of this indicator. The city's lead water treatment operator is adequately trained and opportunities for training are provided for administrative and utility staff.

Organizational Management

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.

Yes

The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.

Yes

The policy making body enforces utility policy.

Yes

The utility has an adequately trained manager.

Yes

The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.

Yes

The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.

Yes

The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances (or rules and regulations) necessary to give it the authority to operate.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.

Yes

The policy making body meets as required.

Yes

The utility complies with the open meeting act for all meetings.

Organizational Management Comments

Section 5 of the city's Water and Sewer Ordinance #09-06 adopted October 12, 2009 states: 'The Hooper Bay Water and Sewer Utility has been created by ordinance and charged with the operation of the City's water and sewer infrastructure as an enterprise of the City'. On July 20, 2011 city council approved the city's Water and Sewer System Business Plan Update which indicates city council (the policy making body) is active in the policy making of the utility. The city provided the Bethel RUBA office with an accounts receivable aging report for September 2012 showing 13 of their 27 residential customers 'CUTOFF' from service. The city administrator has many years of local government experience. He worked for the city on several occasions in the 1970s and 1980s and has held leadership positions for Hooper Bay's Traditional Council. He was hired as administrator on June 7, 2010 and has handled the duties of the position well. The city's bookkeeper has held her current position for 21 years and is skilled in QuickBooks operations and summarizing city financial data in Excel spreadsheets. The city has a Class 2 Water Distribution System and the city's lead water treatment operator is certified to the level required to operate the plant. His Water Treatment 2 certificate expires on December 31, 2014 and his Water Distribution 2 certificate expires on December 31, 2013. However, according to an October 17, 2012 query of the Alaska Certified Water/Wastewater Operator Database the city's assistant operator is not certified. Page six of the city's Water and Sewer System Business Plan Update approved by council on July 20, 2011, contains an organizational chart that reflects the city's current structure. The city council is active in the policy making of the utility and usually meets at least monthly pursuant to Alaska Title 29. Public notification of meetings and the manner in which they are conducted are in accordance with Alaska's Open Meeting Act or otherwise stated in local ordinances.

Operation of Utility

Essential Indicators

Answer

Question

Yes

The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.

Yes

The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.

Sustainable Indicators

Answer

Question

No

The manager receives a monthly O&M report from the utility operator and routinely "spot checks" the facilities to see that the maintenance items are being completed.

No

The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.

Yes

Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.

Yes

The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.

Yes

The operator provides status reports to the manager on a routine basis.

Yes

The utility has completed and distributed its "Consumer Confidence Report".

Yes

The utility is not on the "Significant Non-Complier" (SNC) list.

Yes

The utility maintains an inventory control list.

Yes

The utility maintains a critical spare parts list.

Operation of Utility Comments

The city has a Class 2 Water Distribution System and the city's lead water treatment operator is certified to the level required to operate the plant. His Water Treatment 2 certificate expires on December 31, 2014 and Water Distribution 2 certificate expires on December 31, 2013. However, according to an October 17, 2012 query of the Alaska Certified Water/Wastewater Operator Database the city's assistant operator is not certified. Documentation that safety meetings are held was not provided. The utility has not suffered any major problems or outages due to management issues that are still unresolved. Although not all Hooper Bay residents have been connected to the city's water and sewer facilities, the utility is in good working order and operating at a level of service proposed. CE2 Engineers presented the city with copies of the Water Treatment Plant Operation and Maintenance (O+M) Manual on April 20, 2012. A preventive maintenance plan, along with a health and safety plan, an inventory control list and a critical spare parts list are all included the O+M Manual. A copy of the city's 2011 Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is electronically filed at the Bethel RUBA office along with a certification form signed by the water operator on June 28, 2012 indicating the CCR was distributed and posted in the community. The city is not on the July 2012 Significant Non-Complier (SNC) list.